Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: At the Study Session (2)
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Square.
The sharp pen nib tore into the paper, leaving a deep black mark.
Choi Si-hyeok and the other five guys and girls pressed on with their study session in a somewhat subdued atmosphere.
"Especially this part..."
Choi Si-hyeok occasionally helped Cynthia with her studies, but that was only for a moment.
He scratched his head, watching her quickly catch up on the first semester's material on her own.
"Uh, um, you catch on fast..."
Cynthia, who maintained top-tier grades at Stella Academy.
She was far smarter than Choi Si-hyeok had imagined.
Was it a kind of airheaded beauty?
She often showed a pure, almost foolish side, but her academic mind was top-class even in the academy.
"That one too? Ah, you already solved it?"
In short, there wasn't much for Choi Si-hyeok to teach her.
He pointed out what she didn't know, chatted idly, and leaned in close enough to share breaths—but it was nothing like the scenario he'd envisioned.
This isn't it.
What was it? Her teasing distance, always just out of reach, kept burning him up inside.
She's a tough one.
Cynthia sat at that familiar, tantalizing distance, as always.
With that consistent space between them, she maintained a relationship that felt just within his grasp yet forever slipping away.
She's a fascinating woman, really.
Reflecting on the past, Choi Si-hyeok felt oddly like he was the one being tamed.
She drew a firm line but never fully shut him out.
She'd shown up to the study session just like now, and she'd even accepted his gift before.
Can't figure out what she's thinking at all.
Somehow managing to become her friend, Choi Si-hyeok tapped the desk with his index finger, his expression subtle.
"Can you be quiet? Si-hyeok?"
"Huh?"
"You're being too noisy. I can't focus."
"Ah, sorry."
Cynthia, oblivious to Choi Si-hyeok's inner turmoil, dove back into her textbook with intense focus.
Hmm.
Choi Si-hyeok gazed at her across the table with renewed eyes as she studied intently.
He no longer felt like teaching her anything.
Whatever. No matter what you feel, you'll end up in my palm.
Though his elaborate study plan had gone slightly off track, he still felt at ease.
She was right there in front of him.
Just stretch out his hand, and she'd be within reach.
Choi Si-hyeok was confident he could make her his whenever he wanted.
No matter how much you fly or crawl, you'll end up under me, moaning in the end.
Choi Si-hyeok eyed Cynthia's entire body like a predator sizing up its prey.
A daily look similar to Stella Academy's uniform.
In her comfortable T-shirt and skirt, she looked subtly enticing, oblivious to the gaze he fixed on her as she twirled her pen.
And then.
About an hour into their focused studying, the group began losing steam one by one.
Fidgeting in their seats or zoning out was the norm.
Unlike Cynthia, who could study for at least five hours straight once seated.
"Shall we take a break?"
Choi Si-hyeok turned to the girls—who served as mere screens—with a friendly smile.
"Want some snacks?"
Han Ji-yul shook her head and stood up.
"No thanks. We all ate dinner already. Snacks at night make you gain weight."
Her prepared lines flowed smoothly.
"I think we'll call it a day and head home. I haven't been able to focus since earlier."
Separate from making Cynthia comfortable at the study session, she had long since been won over by Choi Si-hyeok.
"Don't mind me. You guys keep going."
Exchanging a quick glance with Choi Si-hyeok, she packed her bag swiftly.
"Well, bye. See you tomorrow, Sia."
As if afraid Cynthia might stop her, Han Ji-yul hurried her goodbye.
"Oh? Yeah, okay. Take care, Ji-yul."
Choi Si-hyeok gave the two girls a meaningful look before casually turning back to his textbook as if nothing happened.
"......"
"......"
And how much time passed after that?
One by one, the group followed Han Ji-yul's lead and left.
As if by prior agreement.
"Should we wrap up too...?"
With all the other girls gone, Cynthia said awkwardly.
"Why? There's still a lot of first-semester material left. Unless you have plans later, let's do a bit more."
"Um..."
"You seem to focus well, Sia. Better to study while you're in the zone. Your place is right next door anyway, and I'll walk you safely to your door."
Don't worry about a thing.
Choi Si-hyeok gestured lightly, then asked as if it just occurred to him.
"Oh, by any chance, are you uncomfortable being alone with me?"
"Not really..."
Honestly, Cynthia was uncomfortable.
But Kang Woojin's words from earlier that day came to mind.
'If you get the chance, stay alone with him. You might see his true face...'
She swallowed the thorny discomfort.
What now? I don't think I can focus on studying...
She fidgeted with her hands and feet restlessly.
"Oh? Sia, you're wearing a smartwatch on your wrist?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Thanks to you, I'm using it well."
Pretending to look out the window, Cynthia glanced away, but Choi Si-hyeok reached out as if he'd been waiting and fiddled with her smartwatch.
"If it breaks, let me know. You can exchange it for free within three months."
Now that they were alone, he grew bold, flirting subtly without her realizing.
"Ah, got it."
No skin contact, but Cynthia quickly pulled her wrist away, fanning it as she added,
"Um, I need to use the bathroom for a sec..."
But Choi Si-hyeok had no intention of letting her go.
"Go ahead."
Gazing at her retreating figure, he stood a beat late and followed her.
Into the deserted hallway.
Whoosh—
The sound of running water echoed eerily, mirroring the desolate quiet that fueled Cynthia's unease.
Step.
She couldn't live in the bathroom forever, so steeling herself, Cynthia dried her hands and stepped out.
I'll say I'm tired and go home...
Having prepared her excuse, the moment she entered the hallway—
Whoosh!
A shadow blocked her path, freezing her solid like a stone statue.
"S-Si-hyeok?"
She barely managed to speak, bewilderment clear on her face at the unexpected situation.
"Y-You going to the bathroom too?"
"No."
While she stammered, Choi Si-hyeok slowly shook his head.
"Actually, I have something to tell you. That's why I followed."
His calm expression and tone only added to it.
His bluntly stated purpose heightened her anxiety; Cynthia couldn't calm her racing heart.
Maybe because of Kang Woojin's warning.
Or the still night air.
Choi Si-hyeok looked like a completely different person from the one at school.
"Wh-what? What do you want to say...?"
As she asked, backing away unconsciously.
One step.
Another step.
For her, who had always kept a consistent distance from Choi Si-hyeok, retreating was inevitable.
Step.
Finally revealing his true colors, Choi Si-hyeok crossed the line she'd guarded first.
Step.
Silently staring at Cynthia, he closed the gap as she retreated.
Very slowly, without rush.
One step.
Another, cornering her.
Like herding prey, Choi Si-hyeok pushed her past the hallway into the emergency stairs beside the bathroom.
"Why are you being so scary...?"
Finally backed into a dead end, Cynthia averted her gaze and asked.
Bam!
Choi Si-hyeok pinned her against the wall and said,
"I like you, Sia. That's what I wanted to say."
It was straight out of a movie scene.
Except the genre was horror, not romance.
"I like you. Date me, Sia."
He suddenly confessed his feelings.
"You... like me...?"
"Yeah. I've liked you for a long time, always."
With a distant look in his eyes, Choi Si-hyeok hid his ugly intentions and gazed down at her.
The distance had shrunk dramatically.
A little closer, and their lips would touch; Cynthia hurriedly turned her head.
"Sorry..."
She clearly expressed rejection.
"Like I said before, I already like someone..."
Cynthia's heart belonged solely to Kang Woojin.
Choi Si-hyeok was just a classmate, nothing more or less.
Hearing her feelings anew, Choi Si-hyeok let out a scoff.
"The one you like is Kang Woojin, right, Sia?"
Unlike his smiling face, his inner thoughts darkened.
"Yeah, that's right... I like Woojin..."
"......"
"No, I love him. So I can't accept your feelings, Si-hyeok. I'm grateful you see me that way, but I'm sorry..."
Driving the nail into his heart, Cynthia moved carefully without meeting his eyes.
Slide.
Slipping out from the barrier his body formed.
But he had no intention of letting her go this time either.
"I get your feelings, Sia. And you don't need to apologize. If anything, I'm the sorry one."
His considerate words clashed with his actions as he grabbed her wrist and shoved her back against the wall.
Thud!
Even with her Awakener's superior physique, Cynthia couldn't overpower Choi Si-hyeok of all people.
"Wh-what are you doing...?!"
Trapped in his grip, Cynthia struggled in fear, unable to hide it.
"Stop! Don't...!"
But her trembling voice betrayed complex emotions spilling out.
Sadness, anxiety, despair, fear, shame...
Captured by indescribable turmoil, she resisted with a pale face.
"I-I'm gonna scream!"
Threatening to call for help.
Whoosh!
Dodging his attempted kiss by ducking her head.
"If you don't want to be my girlfriend, no choice."
Enjoying even her resistance, like toying with prey, Choi Si-hyeok shed his friendly mask.
"I'll make you my slave instead."
Cynthia flinched at his chilling words.
"Sorry again. But I don't have much time left."
Suppressing impatience for so long, he revealed the lust he'd bottled up with a lecherous grin.
"Forget the guild situation or whatever. Fuck, you're so hot."
Setting aside Flame Guild matters, Choi Si-hyeok surrendered to pure desire.
"You know that, right, Sia? I've wanted to fuck you senseless for ages."
Cynthia couldn't respond.
Huddled tightly, tears welling, she endured his utterly degrading words in silence.
"Wanted to wreck you completely. You have no idea how hard it was holding back."
He chuckled and continued.
"Now I'll show you pleasures you never knew."
His hand slowly reached out.
"Ha, fuck, finally gonna fuck this bitch. Screw girlfriend bullshit; shoulda done this ages ago."
Spewing vulgarities in his victory high.
Thud.
But Choi Si-hyeok's joy didn't last.
"...?"
A ripple crossed his eyes as his hand slipped into her skirt.
Thud?
His hand, which should have delved deeper, hit a barrier at the entrance.
And not just that.
Scraaape!
Touching the center of her panties, he scratched her surely, but a cold metallic clang rang out.
No soft skin texture at all.
"F-fuck, what the hell is this?!"
Choi Si-hyeok, about to devour Cynthia, yelled in sudden panic.
What protected Cynthia's purity(?) from his filthy touch.
Covering her entire privates was none other than a chastity belt.
"A chastity belt?! Fuck! Why the hell are you wearing something like this, Sia...!"
He'd thought he was finally going to have her.
Choi Si-hyeok's face filled with crushing disappointment.
Great expectations bring great disappointments—an eternal truth.
His inflated anticipation deflated, despair shrouding his shocked inner world.
And.
Watching it all from the upper emergency stairs, Kang Woojin shouted inwardly.
That's a bulletproof pussy, you idiot—!
Gripping his latest-model smartphone, its recording light blinking red.